Billy Boyd, born 28th of August,1968 in Glasgow, is a Scottish actor. He is most widely known for playing Peregrin Took in the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings trilogy between 2001 to 2003, as well as Barrett Bonden in Peter Weir's film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World in 2003, which also starred Paul Bettany and Russell Crowe. He and his sister Margaret were raised by their grandmother after their parents died. In 1984, aged 16, he appeared in local musical company Theatre Guild, Glasgow's production of Hans Anderson.